BIONIC Team (Believe It Or Not I Care)

Students - Kindergarten through college - are struggling as never before during these difficult times! Anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts are escalating as the pandemic continues. Your donation for as little as $5.00 to B.I.O.N.I.C. for Colorado Gives Day will help schools reach out to students through a school club called the B.I.O.N.I.C. Team (Believe It Or Not I Care).

The B.I.O.N.I.C. Team is led by school counselors or other educators to empower students to reach out to peers facing challenging times in hopes of preventing them from spiraling down into more serious issues including thoughts of suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth in America, and the rates are increasing due to COVID! B.I.O.N.I.C. is on the cutting edge and while seeing this crisis unfold, last year we raised funds to provide 597 school counselors updated suicide prevention training that provided a safety net to the 294,000 students under their care.

Back in the 2004-05 school year after four suicides at a local high school, the B.I.O.N.I.C. Team was started to reach out to students who were new, sick, hospitalized, bullied, or who lost a loved one in the hopes that the outreaches would let those students know they are "seen," they "matter," and people care. In the next 14 years at two high schools, over 1,200 students reached out to over 140,000 others going through tough times.

One district started a B.I.O.N.I.C. Team in their district office help the staff in the district because they were so overwhelmed by all that has been happening. Two elementary teachers reached out to them because they were suicidal! That B.I.O.N.I.C. Team saved those teachers' lives and prevented all their students - current and past - and their schools and communities from having to deal with the deaths of those teachers! B.I.O.N.I.C. saves lives!!!

Donations raised through Colorado Gives Day this year will go toward:
- $97.00 - for a team of up to 4 students/staff from a school to attend a virtual B.I.O.N.I.C. Team Conference to learn the basics of B.I.O.N.I.C. Teams.
- $400.00 - to become an officially certified school B.I.O.N.I.C. Team and receive the training, materials, and resources to plan and implement the B.I.O.N.I.C. Team at their schools with all the support they need from the nonprofit to run the club.

This year the B.I.O.N.I.C. Teams have not only been helping students, but also staff, parents, families, and community members in greater ways than ever before as the stresses of in-person/remote learning have taken their toll on everyone. With the budget cuts, most schools can't afford the $497 total to come to the Conference and then start an official B.I.O.N.I.C. Team at their school. Thank you for caring about those who are struggling!

B.I.O.N.I.C. (Believe It Or Not I Care) is a 501(c)3 project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center. Your gifts are tax-deductible.